The Temptation of Spring
by Sonata Rapp
Summary: AU. The God of Spring is renowned for his beauty and his kindness. The Lord of the Underworld needs a new plaything. Olympus is the meeting ground for these two deities, and all the Earth will feel the consequences of that meeting.
1. Ascending Olympus

Ascending Olympus

Karasu, Lord of the Underworld, stalked impatiently through his realm. Humans, he decided, were much too fragile to be any fun. There was no challenge in breaking them, no fight in their eyes as they died.

Even the semi-divine, those ill begotten children resulting from the affairs of immortals and humans, were more delicate that Karasu needed them to be.

If he had to be trapped down here - for he was trapped, no matter what his brothers said - then at least there should be some entertainment. Watching Tantalus's torture only could be funny for so long, especially since the fool had become resigned to his fate. What he needed was something new. _Someone _new. Someone young, fair of face, slender, delicate.

Karasu caught himself nearly salivating at the idea.

He flipped his long, inky black hair over his shoulder, reveling in the feel of the silken weight sliding against his bare back. Perhaps it was time to visit the upper realms and see what new meat had cropped up. It was easy enough to wait for some wandering human to end up near the River Styx.

Botan, the boat girl, had orders to bring all of them to him directly, but his heavenly brother Koenma was always having illegitimate children that he would never miss if Karasu happened to _borrow_ one of them.

Yes, he decided, a trip would be perfect. It had been at least a hundred years since he's been above. Perhaps he'd let this visit be a surprise. It did please him so to see Koenma off balance. The smug bastard.

* * *

><p>Kurama smiled at his mother as they sat in the Grand Round of Mt. Olympus. Shiori, Goddess of the Harvest, gazed down at her son, the young God of Spring. He was braiding daisies into a crown, making the flowers flourish with his touch.<p>

She was proud of him, her beautiful son. He looked nothing like his father, Koenma, King of the Gods, which she rejoiced in. Koenma was no kind of father for one as lovely and gentle as her Kurama.

He sat there, the ethereal lights of Olympus gleaming on his pale, perfect skin. Falls of straight scarlet hair tumbled over his shoulders and down past his waist. Eyes as green as new leaves sparkled as a couple of the other gods entered the Round.

Yusuke, God of War, grinned at Kurama as he entered. "How's it going, Red?"

"Just fine, Yusuke. And yourself?"

"Fresh from battle, and I'm feeling good." He wiped a spatter of blood from his cheek. "I've always wondered if you're any good at fighting."

Kurama smiled softly. "You'd be surprised."

Yusuke laughed uproariously. "Red's got bite. Must be dear Daddy's influence, since Shiori is as kind as a anything."

Shiori frowned. "Kurama is nothing like Koenma."

"Of course not," echoed Mukuro, Goddess of Wisdom. "We need no more godlets like Koenma running around. Yusuke's bad enough."

"You wound me, sister," Yusuke said.

"If only I could," the goddess countered.

Yusuke was about to respond when a dramatic sigh cut him off. The King of the Gods had appeared in the Round and was sitting in his throne with his chin in his hand. "You all are so _tiresome_," he declared. "All you do is argue." He flicked brown hair out of his eyes.

"And I suppose you think they should be more like you, _dear_." Shizuru, Queen of the Gods, entered and smirked at her husband. "Fraternizing with anything that will stand still long enough?"

Kurama chuckled and shook his head. He was very familiar with the antics of his family. They argued and tried to one up each other all the time. It was tiring, but he knew that he wouldn't trade this for anything in all the world.

Suddenly the golden doors burst open and a cold wind blew in. All of the gods were on their feet at once, Mukuro and Yusuke ready to defend themselves and the others if need be.

The moment built in tension until two short gods walked in. One of them was dark haired with red eyes and a bored look on his face. The other was a female who shared the same eyes as her companion, but with pale turquoise hair.

Koenma groaned and plopped back down in his seat. "Not _him_."

Yusuke and Mukuro exchanged glances. "Him who, Lord Koenma?" The goddess asked.

"Lord Karasu," the female at the door responded in a soft, soporific voice. "He's come to visit."

Kurama frowned. He had heard of this Lord Karasu, but the god had taken over the Underworld long before he was born. Judging by the looks that were being passed around the Round, Koenma's eldest brother was not welcome.

"What is he waiting for then?" Koenma demanded. "I'd rather he get his game over with sooner rather than later."

"Not that he cares," the little god at the door said. "But I believe he is waiting for an invitation."

"Bastard. Go tell him to get his ass in here and make it quick."

The two, who had to be twins, bowed as one and went to go gather their master.

Kurama sidled closer to Yusuke. "Who were they?" he whispered to his elder brother.

"Hiei and Yukina," the war god answered. "Death and Sleep respectively."

"And they attend Lord Karasu?"

"Yep. I can't believe that asshole is back here again."

The redhead opened his mouth to ask another question, when his voice died in his throat. The rest of the Hall had fallen silent as well as slow footsteps approached the doors. In a matter of moments, the one everyone had been anticipating had arrived.

Tall and deathly pale, Karasu walked into the Round with his head held high. Violet eyes glittered cruelly as he cocked his head at his brother. "Koenma. How good to see you after all these decades apart."

"Cut the crap, Karasu," The bright king snapped. "It is well established that we hate each other."

"Hate is such a strong word," the lord of the Underworld replied. He was clothed in black robes, and wore a mask that seemed to be made of the grayed remains of human bones over the lower half of his face. Those vibrant eyes roamed around the gods who were assembled before they landed on Kurama's face.

It was fortunate, or perhaps not, that the mask obscured the sadistic smile that curved over Karasu's lips then. He let his eyes rake over Kurama's form, delighting in what he saw. That hair! And those eyes! All of it spoke to a beauty and innocence that called to the dark god like a clarion.

Kurama, for his part, froze once he felt those cold eyes on him. He was used to being gazed upon for his beauty, but this was something darker…something more predatory. He didn't like it.

Shiori caught the direction her brother's eyes were fixed to and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her son. "What do you want here, Karasu?" she asked boldly.

"Who is this beautiful beacon of light?" Karasu asked. "Yours, Shiori? He is certainly Koenma's. There is no mistaking the glow of my dear brother's arrogance around him."

"That is Kurama," Koenma answered warily. "The young god of Spring. He is mine and Shiori's."

"Incredible," Karasu whispered. His eyes flicked to his two attendants and they inclined their heads.

"What do you want here, brother?" Koenma demanded. "Neither the heavens or Earth are yours to interfere with."

"Oh calm down, Koenma," the dark god replied flippantly. "I have no intention of wrecking your precious playground. You are skilled enough at that yourself. Is it too much to ask to come visit my family every once in a while?"

Koenma's golden eyes narrowed. "That doesn't sound like you."

Karasu chuckled. "I can see when I'm not wanted. I'll gladly leave now if you promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"Come visit me in the Underworld before the moon next shows her face."

"That's it?" Koenma asked.

"Yes. That is all I ask."

"Fine. I'll do it. Now get out."

"As you wish." Karasu executed a mocking bow. He looked at Kurama again. "It was…bewitching to meet you, little Kurama," he murmured. With another burst of cold wind, the Lord of the Underworld was gone as if he had never been.

Shiori tightened her grasp on her son. "What do you think he really wants, Koenma?" she asked.

The god king shook his head. "How should I know? Karasu has always been a mystery to me. Whenever he decides to direct his attention to something, it cannot end well."

Kurama couldn't contain the shiver that racked him at his father's words.

* * *

><p>AN: Yep. I'm writing another story. Yep. I'm crazy. Well not really. This story isn't going to really get going until a couple weeks from now when I am done with school for the semester. You get this short preview because it's Sekah's birthday! Happy Birthday, darlin'! This chapter is dedicated to her. Let me go on the record as saying that I will be taking liberties with Greek Mythology and language in this fic, but it won't be anything major.


	2. The Will of Koenma

The Will of Koenma

Later, after Kazuma, God of the Sun, parked his flaming chariot and put down his flaming sword, announcing the night, Shiori went to her son. She had taken her hair down from the tightly woven bun it usually stayed in, and the dark locks cascaded around her shoulders.

She was beautiful, as all goddesses are, but there was something more about Shiori. Perhaps it was her kindness, her loyalty. The depth of love that shined from golden brown eyes.

Kurama would agree with that.

He welcomed his mother to his room with a smile. "Good evening, Mother." The young god was sitting at the table in his room, running a brush through the crimson locks. He was dressed in a light, silky toga type garment, his delicate feet clad in golden sandals.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Shiori said. "You seemed…distressed earlier. By Karasu's presence."

Kurama shuddered as he remembered the fervent interest that had burned in Karasu's violet eyes. "How well do you know Lord Karasu?" Kurama asked his mother softly.

The goddess took a seat on her son's bed with a sigh. "Too well," she replied. "He is Koenma's brother of course, but he is also mine."

The redhead could sense that his mother was about to tell a good story, so he turned his full attention to her. "Your elder brother?"

Shiori shook her head. "I am older than he. I suppose it is time I told you the story of our existence. About how your father came to be king of the gods."

"Was he not always king?" Kurama wanted to know.

"Patience, my son," the goddess replied. "I'll explain everything." She closed her eyes and began. "Long ago, there was only Earth and Sky. The two came together and created those who came before us. My parents were told that one of _their _children would come to overthrow my father, and he could not stand for that. So he began to swallow each of the children that my mother presented him with. I, along with Karasu and all of our siblings but Koenma, was swallowed. Mother knew that Koenma had to be the one to take down Father, so she hid him away until he was old enough to win."

"And he won?"

"He did. Koenma is powerful, but he lacks humility. Koenma, Karasu, and Mitari of the Sea decided to divide the three major areas of the human world between them, with Koenma as ultimate ruler because he freed us. Karasu has always been bitter about the area he was given to rule over. He thought that as eldest, he had the most right to be in charge of the heavens, but Koenma was not willing to compromise on that point. So Karasu was sent to the Underworld."

"That cannot be fun for him," Kurama murmured. He shuddered to think of a life spent in the depths of the Underworld with nothing but constant death for company.

"It has turned him into the sadistic, narcissistic bastard he is today."

"Maybe he just needs a companion," Kurama suggested.

Shiori shook her head. "Anyone Karasu gets his hands on will be subjected to torture and pain. He no longer knows how to act like a civilized being."

* * *

><p>"Come in," Karasu said smoothly when someone knocked on his bedroom door.<p>

Hiei opened the door and stuck his head in. "Lord Koenma is here," he said, his voice empty.

"Excellent." Karasu got to his feet in one graceful motion, flicking his curtain of inky black hair out of his way. As he passed by Hiei on his way out the door, he allowed one of his slender hands to play along the back of the shorter god.

Hiei tensed instantly and recoiled. "Don't touch me," he hissed.

Karasu rolled his eyes. "You would do well to remember who you belong to, little death. I would hate to have to send you away from here. My brother is much less merciful than I."

"I find that hard to believe," Hiei snapped. He turned on his heel and was gone in a second.

The pale god laughed. These little gods were so easy to manipulate, but it was too bad that he couldn't touch them. Hiei was the embodiment of Death, and he needed him to keep the Underworld running smoothly and to basically do the work he didn't want to.

But that didn't matter, because he was about to wheedle his new play thing out of his youngest brother.

Koenma was standing in his sitting room looking uncomfortable. He turned around and glared at Karasu when he entered. "Well, this place is creepy." To be fair, it kind of was. The room was draped with black silk and was full of furniture in the same color.

"It's the Underworld, little brother. I do not know what you expect."

"I don't know. Some color?"

Karasu chuckled. "It often has splashes of red to compliment all of the black. Unfortunately it has been a while since I've had occasion to let any red show around here."

Koenma swallowed hard. He would never admit it, but his elder brother scared him. He scared him in a way that was ridiculous. That was one of the reasons that Koenma was glad that Karasu stayed down here. "I'm here," the king of the gods said. "What do you want?"

Karasu circled his brother. "What would it mean to you, Koenma, if I stayed down here?"

"You mean until you get bored and come back up to the surface to play?"

"No. I mean indefinitely."

Koenma stared. "You'll never be able to do that. You have to have a playmate to keep you entertained or everyone suffers."

"What if I told you all you had to do was provide me with a playmate of my choice and I would stay down here with him and cause no more trouble above?"

"I would say that sounds too good to possibly be true."

"Oh but it is, little brother," Karasu replied. "And it is so simple."

Koenma frowned. "Let us say that I believe you'll keep your word about this. Who do you want?"

A cruel, gleeful smile spread across Karasu's face then. He had been waiting for that question. "Oh just one of your many, many children. A beautiful young god as lovely and vibrant as a rose."

"Kurama?"

"The very same."

"…I don't think I can do that. Shiori would kill me."

Karasu scoffed at that. "You are the king of the gods as you never let any of us forget. Your word is law."

"That's true."

"Just tell our sister that you are giving your son to me in…marriage if you have to. You are Kurama's father, so she cannot oppose you."

Koenma had to concede that point. "If I give you Kurama, you'll stay down here? Indefinitely?"

"Cross my heart," Karasu said with a sadistic chuckle.

"I'm convinced you don't have one."

"Well. If I did, I'd be crossing it. You give me Kurama, and I will stay out of your hair, Koenma. You will not get another chance like this. You know that if you deny me I'll run through humanity's sons like an epidemic. And perhaps it's daughters. Just for a change of pace."

Koenma shook with barely suppressed rage. He hated ultimatums, but Karasu was right. This was not an offer he could afford to refuse. "Alright," he whispered. "You can have him. But, you'll have to go get him yourself. I refuse to deliver my son to you."

"Fine with me. Someone that beautiful is worth the effort. That face, it speaks of such innocence, and that hair. Mmmmm."

"Are we done here?" Koenma asked sharply.

"If you like. Now that I have what I want, I see no more reason for me to pretend that I want to speak with you."

"Good." Koenma turned to leave, brushing past his brother.

"Koenma, will you tell dear Shiori of this meeting? Are you going to tell her that you bartered her son's life away for the lives of a few humans?"

The king of the gods didn't look back. "No. Not unless I have no other choice."

His brother's eerie laugh followed him out of the room.

* * *

><p>The next day saw Kurama in a field on Earth with some of the nymphs he called friends. They were scattered around, gathering wild flowers by the basketful.<p>

A warm wind kicked up blowing scarlet hair around Kurama's face. The god smiled as he recognized the feel of his friend Jin, the God of Wind. "Hello, Jin," he murmured.

"Mornin' young Kurama!" the wind god called back in his usual rapid speech. "And a more beautiful one I've never seen, don't ya know? What brings ya down to the land with the goodly humans?"

"This is the best spot for these kinds of flowers," the redhead replied. He bent down and picked a small purple bloom, smiling as it grew larger and fuller in his hand.

Jin smiled at the joy in the younger god's face. "If all o' us were more like you, Red, then what a world it would be. Well, can't dally to long in one place or people'll start to wonder. So it's off I go!"

Kurama waved as his friend sped off. Risho, an earth nymph, walked over to him. "The earth is trembling," he said with a frown.

"I don't feel anything," Kurama said.

"Not on the surface, but inside. Something is coming. Something big and dark."

The redheaded god laughed and all of the flowers in the vicinity turned towards him. "I think that perhaps you are a bit paranoid, Risho. What could be dark about a day like this?"

No sooner than the words had left those perfect lips, than the ground under them began to shake violently.

Risho had just enough time to shoot Kurama an 'I told you so' look before the earth between them split completely open.

The shaking ended as quickly as it began, and Kurama peered into the tear in the earth with wide green eyes. At first all he saw was darkness, but then something that glinted with violet light caught his attention. Kurama looked closer and gasped as the tremors began anew.

He fell to his knees, holding on for dear life and wishing fervently that he had accepted his mother's offer of coming with him. Surely she would know what was going on.

Suddenly a roar rang through the field and two dark horses galloped out of the rift, pulling a jet black chariot that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. A cold chill swept through the warm morning as a long, slender arm shot out and delicate fingers wrapped around Kurama's wrist.

A sharp tug sent the young god tumbling into the rift only to be dragged close to a body that seemed to radiate no heat.

"Down," a vaguely familiar voice called sharply, and the chariot disappeared back into the earth.

Risho blinked. He had no idea what had just happened.

* * *

><p>AN: Whew! Finally another chapter of this. Please don't expect updates to be anything resembling regular. A lot of work goes into this story. I spend hours checking my mythology and reading parts of it out loud to make sure it sounds alright. Once Sparks Fly is over, I'll have much more time to work on this, but until then, please bear with me. Also, thank you so much for the responses to the first chapter. I was really nervous about this one because I've never tried to write Karasu as a main character before. Also because Kurama is not himself in the beginning. He's a little naive, but don't worry, once he's been in the Underworld for a while, he'll become more like the fox we all know and want to have sex with. Thanks for reading!


	3. A Corruption of Springtime

A Corruption of Springtime

As the dark closed around him, Kurama fought to get air to his lungs. He hated being in the dark more than anything. A thin, but deceptively strong arm was still wrapped tightly around his midsection, and Kurama despaired that he couldn't get enough air in him to fight.

He was panicking, and that wasn't good.

His mind, somewhat analytical when it needed to be, forced the rest of him to slow down and take stock of what was going on.

He was pretty sure that Karasu was the one who had him. The look that he had given him the other day, combined with the fact that they were now traveling deep under the earth made that the only answer that made sense.

His heart sank at that, Shiori's words from the night before echoing in his head. _Anyone Karasu gets his hands on will be subjected to torture and pain. He no longer knows how to act like a civilized being_

"Docile little thing, aren't you?" the cold voice whispered in his ear. "Don't be that way. Half the fun is breaking you of your fight, you know."

Kurama stretched his powers out, feeling for anything that could help him. All he needed was some sign of life that he could manipulate.

Karasu laughed when he realized what was happening. "Oh very good, my flower," he said. "But we are heading into the Underworld. Nothing is alive enough for you to get your grips on."

Suddenly light, dim and murky light, but light none the less, bloomed before them. Kurama looked around and saw that they were in a stone courtyard of some sort. To his left was the dark twisting river that had to be the Styx. He didn't recognize the young blue haired woman who was paddling the ferry downstream, but he figured that she had to be Botan.

He was in the Underworld.

If there was one thing he had learned about this place, it was that once a being descended into this abyss, they never returned.

Tears began to pool in his luminous green eyes, building up and then streaking their way down his face.

Karasu's violet eyes slid to him, and he smiled behind his mask. He so loved it when they cried. He caught one of the younger god's tears on his finger and held it up. "Lovely," he murmured. The Lord of the Underworld climbed out of the chariot. "Stay here, my flower, I need to go make sure that everything has been prepared for your arrival. And by all means, please try to escape. Defiance only makes breaking you that much more delicious."

Kurama only half heard what he said. All he knew was that his captor was walking away. He wasn't so stupid as to think that there was a way that he could return to the surface on his own, so he slid down to sit on the floor of the chariot. Red hair pooled around him as he buried his face against his knees and sobbed.

He missed his mother, he missed the sunlight, and he was scared. There had never been a time in his life that he had loathed his beauty so much as right now.

"Pssst!"

Kurama barely heard the sound over his own crying.

"Oh come on. Pssst!" The voice was definitely female and seemed to be coming from the direction of the river.

He lifted his head and looked into the dull pink eyes of the ferry girl. She smiled softly when she saw his tearstained face. "Oh don't cry. Please don't cry. That only gets him excited. You're Kurama, aren't you?"

The redhead nodded.

"I'm so sorry. Lord Karasu has got it in his head that you should be his queen."

"But…I'm a male," Kurama protested weakly.

Botan shrugged. "No one is going to argue that point with the Lord. When he wants something…well. Here you are."

"What is he going to do with me?"

Botan shook her head. "I stay out here for a reason. I don't know what happens inside. May I give you some advice?"

Kurama nodded quickly.

"Make friends with Yukina and Hiei if you can. They will take care of you once Karasu is done with you for the day."

"Are they nice?" Kurama asked in a small voice.

"Yukina is a sweetheart. Hiei is…well he's not very pleasant, but he hates Karasu with a passion, so he'll be on your side."

"Alright."

Footsteps rang out on the stone just then and Botan jumped. She mouthed 'good luck' to Kurama and paddled her ferry father down the river.

Karasu narrowed his eyes at her back as he emerged in the courtyard. He hoped that she was filling Kurama's head with words of hope. Then he could thank her for allowing him to be able to watch that hope die in the green depths of those innocent eyes of Kurama's.

He walked over to the chariot and peered down at the young divinity hunkered inside of it. His red hair was tousled, his eyes were puffy from his crying, and the silky while toga he was wearing was wrinkled and strained with dirt.

"Well this won't do," Karasu said reproachfully. He snapped his fingers. "Up."

Kurama was not accustomed to taking orders. No one on Olympus tried to tell him what to do. He stared blankly up at the Lord of the Underworld, not moving.

"Hmm. Getting some of your spirit back are we?" Karasu taunted. "I only appreciate that in the bedroom. You will follow my orders all other times. Do you understand?"

Kurama didn't respond, just continued to stare blankly.

Quick as a flash, Karasu had his hand tangled in all that red hair. He grabbed a fistful and pulled the god to his feet, ignoring the cry of pain. "I had wanted you to walk into your new home for the first time like the queen that you will be, but perhaps this sends a better message. Queen implies equal, and you are the farthest thing from that."

And so Kurama entered the palace of the Underworld for the first time, tripping over himself to keep up with Karasu to avoid being dragged.

He was crying again by the time they reached the inside. Servants looked torn between going to help him and running away. Karasu beckoned to one of them, a slender blue haired male. "Take Kurama to his bath," he said when the servant was near. "I want him cleaned and dressed by the time I am ready for bed."

"But that's hours from now, Lord Karasu," the servant replied.

"Then you had better do an especially good job, Shishi," Karasu snapped. He practically threw Kurama at the other male and strode away.

Shishiwakamaru, semi-divine servant to Karasu, sighed. He hated his job. He turned his dark pink eyes onto the newest captive of his master. "Hello," he greeted him, figuring he should at least be polite. "I am Shishi, and I will be taking care of you while you're here, apparently."

Kurama sniffed, wiping his eyes. "I'm Kurama," he whispered.

"Oh everyone knows who you are. Karasu has been almost giddy about you. Come with me, and we will see about getting you cleaned up."

The redhead followed Shishi through the corridors of the palace, looking around as he went. There was nothing cheerful about the place because it was all black fabrics and hangings over gray stone.

"Drab isn't it?" Shishi said. "Karasu only likes one color other than black, and that's blood red." He eyed Kurama's hair. "Which explains more about his obsession with you than it doesn't."

"Are you related to Botan?" Kurama asked suddenly.

Shishi laughed. "It's the hair isn't it?"

"And the eyes. I'm sorry if that was rude, I didn't-"

The servant waved the apology away. "Don't worry about it. Botan and I have the same father. Hiei and Yukina are also my siblings. Full."

"You don't really look anything like Hiei."

"No, I don't. But then, you know all about that. How many siblings do you have now?"

A very small smile lit Kurama's beautiful face. "Too many to count."

"It's the same down here. Most of us who serve Lord Karasu are related in some way or another. Ah, here we are." He led Kurama into a vast stone room with a large black tub in the center of it. "This will be your personal bathing chamber," Shishi said. "It's fully stocked, but if you require anything else, please let me know."

The blue haired servant walked over to the tub and pulled a string. Steaming hot water began to fill the tub from a spout in the side. "This water is hot," Shishi cautioned. "It's heated from the fires in Tartarus, so be careful." He blinked at Kurama. "Well, get it."

"With you here?" Kurama asked, scandalized.

"Of course. Would you rather be alone down here?"

The young god had to admit that his new servant had a point. "But…it's immodest," he insisted.

Dark pink eyes widened. "Immodest? Are you sure you're related to Koenma? I didn't think modesty was something he cared much about?"

"I am nothing like my father," Kurama snapped, mustering the energy to be affronted.

Shishi held his hands up in a placating gesture. "My apologies, Kurama. I did not mean to offend you. All the same, you should get used to people looking at you. Lord Karasu will care nothing for your modesty."

Kurama sighed, turning his back to Shishi and slowly taking off his clothing. He kicked off his golden sandals, and then shrugged out of his toga, letting the silk fall to the floor. His undergarments were next, and when he was completely bare, he shivered.

Shishi had the decency to avert his eyes as he helped the god into the black marble tub.

The water was hot, but Kurama was so numb from the ordeal that he didn't really feel it. He carefully sat down, the water so deep it came nearly to his neck. The servant placed a few oils and soaps on the rim of the tub. His eyes filled with sympathy as he looked at his lord's new prisoner, shivering despite the warmth of the water.

"I can wait outside if you'd rather," he offered softly.

Kurama shook his head, red hair trailing through the water. "Please don't leave me."

Shishi nodded. "Well don't just sit there. Lord Karasu wants you clean, so you should get clean. It won't do you any good to make him angry."

Seeing that there were no other options, Kurama obeyed. He picked up the soft cloth that was draped over the edge of the tub and one of the soaps. Perhaps if he were clean, he would feel better.

* * *

><p>Shiori paced in the Grand Round. Kazuma had begun his descent back to his home, signaling that the end of the day was near, and there was still no word from her son. He had gone out earlier that day to pick flowers, and he had been known to lose track of time, so she wasn't <em>too <em>worried.

As the fiery chariot dipped lower in the sky, Shiori's anxiety climbed. Kurama hated the dark. He would never have stayed out this late, no matter how distracted he was. The goddess strode towards the doors with every intention of descending the mountain and going to find her son.

Before she reached the golden doors, they burst open, and Kuronue, messenger of the gods, flew in on his large, bat-like wings.

"Lady Shiori," he said, landing. "This is Risho." He gestured to an earth nymph who stood behind him. "He has something of great importance to tell you."

Shiori looked at the nymph, recognizing him as one of the ones that her son often spent time with. "Risho, what do you know of my son's whereabouts?" she asked, already dreading the answer.

"Then you already know, my lady?" Risho said.

"Know what?"

"Kurama was taken, Lady Shiori. We were in the fields, and something came up from the ground and took him. The other nymphs and I searched all day, but it is as if he is gone from this world."

Kuronue rushed forward to stand next to the goddess as she looked like she was close to fainting. Her eyes were wide but un seeing. Her boy…her precious Kurama. He was gone.

* * *

><p>AN: And here's another chapter! This story is getting easier to write, and I love that about it. I need to settle on an update schedule for this because I write better when I have one. Perhaps it can claim Wednesdays, or Fridays once Sparks Fly is done...Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!


	4. Rape of the Rose

**WARNING: This story is going to be full of non consensual couplings between Kurama and Karasu. It will not be pretty. In fact, it will be downright ugly at times. That starts in this chapter. Please do not continue if you are not prepared for violence and rough, unwanted sex.**

Rape of the Rose

Shishiwakamaru smiled as he admired Kurama's appearance. The captured god had gone slightly vegetative in the bath which made preparing him for Karasu all the easier. Shishi had finished washing all that red hair and then pulled Kurama out of the water.

The redhead had stood in the middle of the bathroom, not speaking, as Shishi dried him off and moisturized his skin with scented oils. He attacked the mass of scarlet hair then, exclaiming over the texture of it as he dried and brushed it.

"I can see why Karasu chose you," he murmured. "I am not a lover of men, but even I can recognize your beauty."

Anger rose up in the young god, snapping him out of his stupor for a moment. "Do you think," he whispered, his voice layered with power, "that I want to hear that?"

Shishi lowered his eyes. "Forgive me, Lord Kurama."

The redhead sighed. "Forgive _me, _Shishi. I am just so scared of this."

"And rightly so," the servant replied. "Karasu is not known for his…civility. But-"

A rap on the door interrupted him. "Shishi?" a cold voice called.

"That'll be Hiei. I wonder what he wants." Shishi strode to the door and opened it a crack. "Yes?"

"The bastard sent these down for his _queen_." He spat the last word.

Shishi opened the door wider and accepted a bundle of cloth from the short god. "One day he's going to hear you call him that," he cautioned.

Hiei snorted. "And then he'll do what? Kill me? One cannot kill Death."

"No," Shishi allowed. "But you and I both know that our lord has ways of making people wish they were dead. Even gods."

"Yes, I know. Is he in there?"

"Kurama?"

"Yes, you fool."

"He is. But he isn't dressed."

"Well when you get him in that," he gestured to the bundle, "bring him to the bastard's rooms. Yukina and I are supposed to guard him until the bastard's ready."

Shishi rolled his eyes. "Now you're just calling him that to be spiteful."

"I don't know what you mean," Hiei replied. "Just bring the boy."

"Fine, fine." Shishi shut the door and turned back to Kurama who had resumed shivering and staring at the wall. "Let's get some clothes on you, shall we?"

Kurama nodded mutely, and Shishi unfolded the bundle he had been handed. "Oh, great Gaia," he intoned as he saw what was there. In his hands were a long white toga that looked more like a Roman style _stola _than anything, and a collar made of gold.

Green eyes eyed the ensemble distastefully. "Am I to be his queen or his slave?" he whispered.

"I'm not sure Karasu sees those as different things," Shishi replied. He helped Kurama drape the material around him, adjusting and tucking where necessary. With a sigh placed the collar around the slender neck it was meant for, grimacing when the two ends sealed themselves together with a spark of godly magic.

Shishi stepped back and looked Kurama over. He had to admire Karasu's taste. The white silk brought out the glow in Kurama's pale skin, and the collar made his neck look elegant and delicate. His hair burned against the garment, looking like the freshly spilled blood Karasu so enjoyed.

"Come on," the servant beckoned. "I'm supposed to pass you off to Hiei and Yukina now that you're clean and dressed."

"You're going to leave me?" Kurama asked, panic coloring his voice.

The servant gave him an apologetic look. "For now. I cannot afford to anger Karasu as Hiei can. But don't fret, you will see me often. I expect Karasu will have me clean you up when…" Shishi trailed off, but they both knew what he had been about to say. "Let's go," he said. "You'll have some time to acquaint yourself with Karasu's rooms before he returns."

"Where is he now?" Kurama questioned as he and Shishi walked out of the bathroom.

"Probably attending a judging or doing calculations. I think one of the reasons he hates his job so much is that he actually has to work. Souls are ferried over here by Botan all the time, and it's Karasu's job to deal with them once they have been judged. They have to be catalogued and counted."

Kurama was only half listening to Shishi's words, too busy worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. He winced as he bit into the flesh there, drawing blood, but the wound healed in less than a second.

Shishi stopped in front of an ornate door that seemed to be made out of pure obsidian. There were diamonds and rubies inlaid in the door, and like everything else in this castle, it seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.

There was a large silver knocker in the center, and Shishi grabbed it and slammed it against the door a couple of times.

The sleepy, turquoise headed goddess who had appeared on Olympus with Karasu the day before, opened the door and smiled dreamily. "Hello, Shishi," she greeted.

"Hello, Yukina. I've brought Lord Karasu's…" he shook his head. "I've brought Kurama."

Yukina's red eyes shifted to Kurama's face. "Oh, poor dear." She glared at Shishi. "I hate this. It isn't right."

Shishi shrugged at his sister. "We all hate this, Yukina, but there's not really anything we can do."

"Shouldn't Koenma be able to do something though? He is the king of all the gods and Kurama's father. Doesn't he know what's going on here?"

They both looked at the redhead who lowered his eyes. "I do not know what he knows. My father is not terribly concerned with my welfare. My mother…" He stopped. His mother. Shiori would have to be worried sick by now. Tears welled in his eyes when he thought about how he might never see his mother again.

Shishi looked alarmed, and Yukina reached out and took his hand. "Shh," she soothed, pouring calming energy into the god. "Come in. Hiei and I will look after you." There was a snort from inside. "We will," the goddess said firmly. "We'll take it from here, Shishi."

The servant nodded. He bowed to Kurama. "Good luck," he said. "I'll see you after." He hurried off, looking worried.

Yukina pulled Kurama into the room and shut the door behind them. "Please, sit down," she said.

Kurama obeyed, looking around the room. It wasn't a pleasant looking place, although it looked comfortable. The bed was large and covered in silk sheets in the same dark black as everything else. Wrought iron posts nearly reached the ceiling and were draped with a sheer, gauzy material to form a canopy. The carpet was plush and stark white with a few rusty brown stains here and there, and Kurama shuddered to think what they were.

There were a few chairs in the room, like the one Kurama was sitting in, with soft black cushions. Kurama shuddered again. He had never liked the color black very much, and if he ever got out of this, he knew he would never look at it the same way again.

Hiei was sitting in another of the chairs, looking bored. He trained his red eyes on the other god, noticing absently that it made perfect sense that Karasu would be obsessed with this one. He was lovely.

Kurama sniffled. Tears running down his face, despite the calming nature of Yukina's presence.

"Don't start that," Hiei snapped.

"Hiei!" Yukina scolded. "He's scared. And who wouldn't be?"

"That bastard will have no respect for sniveling," Hiei insisted. "Making him respect you is the only way to survive. You do want to survive, don't you?"

Kurama hesitated, and Hiei rolled his eyes. "Decide now. Karasu might not be able to kill you easily, but he _can_ hurt you. He can hurt you worse than anything else you've ever thought possible. But if you can hold out long enough, someone will probably come for you. Maybe."

Yukina sighed, but she knew that was as close as her brother would get to being comforting. "You might want to try and get some sleep," she said to Kurama. "I doubt Lord Karasu will be able to…control himself enough to be done with you before morning." As she spoke, she layered her voice with her powers, smiling when Kurama's eyelids started to droop. "Sleep," she whispered. "Dreamless sleep. Be at peace for the moment." When the young god was as sleep she turned to her twin. "Can you put him in the bed?"

Hiei said nothing, but got up and lifted the redheaded deity into his arms. He set him on Karasu's bed gently and sighed. "I hope this kid gets a backbone sometime soon."

* * *

><p>Karasu was not pleased. There had been some kind of uprising in one of the cities above, and of course plenty of peasants were dead. Their souls needed to be judged and counted, and it had taken all day.<p>

He slammed his way into his rooms, stopping dead when he saw his latest acquisition curled up on his bed. The red of his hair and the white of his garment stood out against the black of the bedding. He smiled. He'd nearly forgotten about Kurama in the business of the day.

Hiei and Yukina were sitting in the chairs in the room with their eyes averted. "Hello," he greeted them. "Get out."

Hiei got to his feet and glared at the lord of the Underworld. "Hard day?" he quipped.

"Nothing a little…workout won't solve," Karasu replied.

Yukina shot her brother a worried glance. "When you're done with him?" she asked her lord.

Karasu waved a pale hand. "Yes, yes. I'll turn him over to you for you to smother. But do not forget who he belongs to, Yukina. All of your caring will not save him. Now out."

The twins left, Hiei pulling his sister along.

Once they were gone, Karasu turned to his prey.

It was going to be a good night.

* * *

><p>Kurama opened his eyes slowly, blinking in the light. He was confused, not really sure where he was. His face was pressed into a pillow, and he felt a finger slide between the cheeks of his bottom. He jerked and realized that his limbs were tied to the different corners of the bed. A sob rose up in his throat as it all came back to him. He was his uncle's prisoner, and now he was tied to the bed.<p>

Karasu drew his hand back, slapping it against the pert globes of Kurama's ass. He grinned when the redhead cried out. "Good evening, my flower," he murmured. "Did you miss me?"

Kurama just sobbed harder.

"Well that won't do," the dark god said. He took his mask off, then unsheathed a dagger from his belt and held it up to the light. Kurama had tensed up, waiting for whatever was going to come next. Karasu leaned down and used his tongue to trace the handprint he had left on the pale, perfect skin.

He sank his teeth into the flesh, biting down until the sweet, coppery taste of divine blood tickled his taste buds.

"Please, no!" Kurama screamed. "Stop!"

"Oh, but I haven't even begun, my flower." Karasu moved up to Kurama's back, pressing the dagger into the skin. "I'd advise holding very still," he whispered. "It would be a shame for me to accidentally carve you open this early in our relationship."

Kurama tried, he really did, but the shuddering sobs that were racking his body made it hard for him to not move. He cried out as the blade nicked his skin.

"Well if you insist on being cut," Karasu said. Using the point of the short blade, he made shallow cuts in Kurama's back. Letters took shape, forming a name.

Shiori. Not that Kurama could see it of course.

"You must miss your mother something terrible," the older god purred. "And I am sure my dear sister is nearly frantic with worry. I wonder if she'll figure it out." He underlined the name with the knife, bending again to lap at the blood welling on the redhead's back.

Karasu dropped the dagger as Kurama's divine powers already were healing the cuts cleanly. _I'll just have to cut deeper next time, _he thought.

Kurama's gulping sobs were music to his ears as he knelt on the floor and buried his face between Kurama's ass cheeks. He smelled clean and pure, and it was enough to nearly drive Karasu mad with desire.

His erection was firm and seeping in his clothing, so with a quick movement, he removed the cloth.

His tongue probed the puckered opening of Kurama's hole, and he delighted in the gasp it elicited from his plaything. "You like that, don't you?" he murmured. "Pure little Kurama is really a slut at heart, isn't he? What would your mother think of that?"

"No no no no," Kurama was saying over and over again. He didn't understand why his body was betraying him this way. He certainly wasn't enjoying what Karasu was doing, but he didn't understand what he was feeling.

"I had planned to wait," Karasu was saying. "I'd thought to preserve your purity for a bit longer, but I want to take you now. Perhaps I'll do both."

He gave the redhead's ass one more kiss, then stood up, walking over to the head of the bed. He grabbed a handful of all that scarlet hair, yanking Kurama's head up. Even though his face was tearstained and flushed, the young god was still beautiful.

Karasu waved his free hand, and the magical ropes that held Kurama's arms bound to the bed unwound from the iron posts and rebound Kurama's hands behind his back. He struggled for a bit, but the ropes and Karasu's hold on his hair were too strong. Kurama went limp again.

The way Karasu was holding him put his face right on level with the god's hard length. He tried to move his head back, away from it, but that pale hand tightened in his hair and pulled, dragging him closer. "No," Kurama cried. "No, I…I don't want…"

Karasu laughed, and the eerie sound sent another shudder through his captive's body. "Luckily for me," he replied. "I am not concerned with what you want." He thrust his hips forward, rubbing his dripping erection on that perfect face, his fluids smearing in the tears that already drenched Kurama's cheeks. "Open up."

Kurama pointedly closed his mouth.

Karasu rolled his eyes and yanked the handful of hair.

"AH!" Kurama screamed, and Karasu forced his cock into his open mouth.

"If you bite me," he whispered to his prisoner, "I will make sure that your mother suffers a fate worse than death."

There was nothing the redhead could do but lie there and try not to gag as Karasu thrust in and out of his mouth. He choked when he felt the head of the hard length slam into the back of his throat, and he fought to get air to his lungs. Kurama lost track of time, just focusing on breathing.

Karasu made little pleasure noises every so often, then hissed when he felt his release coming. He let some of it go down Kurama's throat, and then pulled out to spurt the rest of it on the redhead's face.

The lord of the Underworld cocked his head and looked at the picture Kurama made, bound and covered in his juices. He licked his lips. "I must say, my flower, I am looking forward to the rest of our games. He waved his hands again, this time releasing the ropes around Kurama's ankles and the ones around his wrists.

He walked around to the other side of the bed and picked up a heavy length of chain that was locked to the bottom of the bed. He attached the other end to the small ring on Kurama's golden collar, then shoved the young god off of the bed.

Kurama didn't have the energy to scream as he fell. Luckily, he landed on something soft. He looked and saw that he was on a pile of blankets and pillows on the other side of the bed.

He could hear Karasu cleaning himself up in the small bathing chamber in the next room, then the candles were doused and the room plunged into darkness. Karasu must have given some order, because Kurama felt his hands being retied behind him and his ankles roped together.

"Sleep well, my flower," Karasu said pleasantly as he left the room. "Tomorrow is a new day for us."

* * *

><p>AN: Whew! That was the chapter that just wouldn't quit. I'm not so good with writing Kurama being violated, so please bear with me while I figure that stuff out. There will be plenty of it in this story to give me practice though! Oh my poor Kurama. What will happen to you now? I really need to come up with something resembling an update schedule instead of just posting when I am done with a chapter/talking to Sekah. Although those things seem to coincide these days, so maybe it's meant to be.


	5. Searching

**A/N 1: This chapter will contain more scenes of non consent, violation, and moderate torture. Reader discretion is advised. Also, not everything in this story will be historically/mythologically accurate. I'm doing a lot of fact checking as I go, but some things I am just making up because I want to. I hope that's okay.**

Searching

Shiori paced in the Round. Koenma was no where to be found, probably off somewhere with some human woman, so she couldn't demand that he help her. Shizuru, his queen, walked in just then, and the harvest goddess lowered her eyes in grudging respect.

"Lady," she breathed. It was no secret that Shizuru was not fond of the mothers of her husband's bastards. They made her look like she couldn't control her husband. Of course, she couldn't, but the whole of Greece didn't have to know it.

"Shiori," Shizuru acknowledged. "I've heard of your misfortune. Does no one know who could have taken Kurama?"

Shiori shook her head. "I have not had a chance to speak with anyone. The only one who saw anything was a nymph."

Shizuru frowned. "And of course Koenma is not here for you to ask." She sighed. "What about Kazuma?"

That startled the other goddess. "Kazuma?"

"He _is_ the God of the Sun," Shizuru explained. "He flies that chariot over head all day, so it's possible that he might have seen something."

Shiori's eyes widened. That was right! Kazuma had the perfect vantage point to have seen what had happened to her son. If Risho's approximation of the timing had been correct, the flaming chariot would have been just about to pass over the spot where her son had disappeared when it happened.

"Thank you, Lady Shizuru!" the harvest goddess said enthusiastically. She looked out the window to see how light the sky was. If she left then, she would have plenty of time to get to the palace where Kazuma lived at night before he retired for the evening. She made to leave, then turned to look at the other goddess. "Would you like me to ask him about Koenma's whereabouts as well?"

Shizuru shook her head. "He'll have to drag himself back here eventually." She cracked her knuckles. "And then I'll get to _speak_ with him about his latest bout of infidelity."

* * *

><p>Kurama opened his eyes and winced. It was brighter in the room than his eyes were ready for, and he wondered if that meant that Karasu was back. Being tied up as he was, he couldn't sit up to see.<p>

He let his head thump back against the pile of pillows and bit back a sob. If Karasu was in the room, then he didn't want him to know that he was awake.

Was this to be his life then? Being violated by Karasu until he eventually lost interest and then…what? He knew there were ways to kill gods, and that Karasu as Lord of the Underworld probably knew a fair few of them. He wondered if it would hurt more than this to die.

_Would it be worth it just to let him kill me?_

It had only been one night. He'd been Karasu's prisoner for one night, and already he felt like he was going to break. What would the other nights bring? What would he do when Karasu decided that his purity was no longer worth preserving?

This time, he couldn't help the sob that ripped it's way out of his mouth, and he head the scrape of a chair in one of the adjoining rooms. His heart filled with icy fear.

Karasu came into view then, standing over him. The tall god leaned down, and his inky black hair tickled Kurama's skin. "Ah, you're awake, my flower. Excellent. Today will be another full day, and I've decided that I want you by my side for it." He walked into the small bathing chamber and came back with a wet cloth.

"Let me clean you up," Karasu said. "I want everyone to see how beautiful my rose shines." He knelt beside the pile of blankets and pillows and wiped dried tears and his own fluids off of Kurama's face.

The redhead flinched with each stroke of the cloth, wanting Karasu far from him. He let out a whimper and tried his best to scoot away from his captor.

Karasu sighed. "Why do you run from me, flower?" When there was no answer he sighed again. He waved his hand, releasing the ropes that held Kurama bound, but not the chain that anchored him to the bed. "Clean yourself then," he snapped. "And brush your hair. I don't want it damaged. I will be back momentarily."

Kurama blinked. Could it really have been that easy?

He got to his feet slowly, rotating his wrists to get the blood flowing into them. The ropes he had been forced to sleep in had not been tight enough to cut off his circulation, but his wrists and ankles were still sore.

The chain was long enough to allow him to walk around the room and enter the bathing chamber. It clanked along behind him as he walked in. He winced when he looked into the mirror on the wall. His face was still streaked with dried fluids, and his eyes were red rimmed. The usually bright green orbs were dull and full of fear. He could see what Karasu meant about his hair. The red mass was tangled and stood out from his head.

Kurama sighed. He considered ignoring Karasu's order and staying like this, but a combination of fear of punishment and vanity halted him. He sighed again and reached for the comb that sat on the edge of a basin.

He froze in the process of detangling his hair when he heard the door open. "Kurama?" a soft female voice called. "Are you here?"

"Yukina?"

"Yes. I wanted to see how you survived your first night."

"Don't come in," Kurama cautioned. "I'm…I'm not dressed."

"Oh. Well, how are you?" She paused and chuckled sadly. "I suppose that was a rather stupid question."

"I want to go home," Kurama replied simply.

"I know, dear. If there's anything that Hiei and I can do to help we'll figure it out. In the meantime, you just try to hold on. Karasu is enamored with you, as long as that continues…well. You'll be safe enough."

"What happens if he stops liking me so much?" the redhead whispered. Yukina was silent, as if refusing to answer. "Tell me, Yukina," Kurama pushed.

He heard the goddess sigh. "Karasu believes that there is nothing more intimate, no greater expression of love, than murder. He says that the bond between murderer and victim is the strongest there is. He strives for that. If…if he stops liking you as much as he does now, he will probably find a way to kill you just to have that bond."

Kurama nodded. He'd expected as much. So there really was a way out.

"But, Kurama," Yukina rushed on to say. "You mustn't do anything foolish. Hiei and I will help you. I swear it."

"Alright," he murmured.

"Good. Now, I must go before Karasu returns. Be strong, Kurama."

Yukina was gone then, leaving the young god alone with his thoughts. He finished combing through his hair and washing his face just in time to hear the door open.

Karasu came into the bathing chamber and looked him up and down. "Beautiful," he said. He snapped his fingers and Kurama's hands were rebound behind his back. The chain that was anchored to the bed got thinner, and the end of it appeared in Karasu's hand.

"Come," Karasu said. "We mustn't be late for the judgings." He pulled on the chain, yanking Kurama forward and back into the bedroom. Karasu headed for the door, and Kurama stopped walking.

"I…I'm not dressed," he whispered.

"And?" Karasu asked coolly. "I want people to see what is mine." He yanked on the lead again, but Kurama stood firm. Karasu sighed and walked closer to the young god, bending down so he was right in his face. "You _will_ come," he whispered menacingly. "If I have to drag you there, it will be all the worse for you. And perhaps for your mother."

Kurama lowered his eyes. "She's your sister."

Karasu scoffed. "You are an Olympian, boy. I thought you would have noticed by now. We care nothing for familial bonds. We will fuck and hurt whoever we need to, to get to the top. Now, you will come with me."

Kurama didn't even have time to steady himself as Karasu pulled him from the room. He stumbled along behind him, his green eyes trained on the stone floor. He could feel the stares of Karasu's servants on him, some of them whispering about him as they passed. Hot tears trickled their way down his face as they walked through corridor after corridor, and Kurama's face burned with shame.

"You will address me as 'Master.' Do you understand?" Karasu said to his captive.

Kurama said nothing.

Karasu whirled around and slapped the young god soundly. "Do not be tiresome," he sighed. "I asked you if you understood."

"…yes…Master," Kurama whispered brokenly.

"Perfect." Karasu led them on.

Finally they reached a large room that seemed to be in the center of the castle. It was bare except for a round table with four chairs. The room was the same gray stone as everything else in the castle, and three tunnels had been hollowed out set of by archways that were carved with various images.

Kurama gasped as he realized where he was. This was the Hall of Judgment, where souls came to see where they would spend eternity. That meant that the three tunnels had to lead to the three places it was possible to end up. Evil souls went to Tartarus to face whatever sick, sadistic punishment Karasu came up with, neutral souls were sent to wander the Asphodel Meadows in peace, and the souls of the heroic and virtuous went to Elysian, the Isle of the Blessed.

There were already three beings seated at the round table when Karasu and Kurama arrived. They stood and bowed to the Lord of the Underworld, all three of them trying to avoid staring at the bound redhead behind their lord.

Karasu acknowledged them with a nod. "Be seated," he said in a loud voice.

Again recognition flooded Kurama. These were the three Kings of Judgment. Their job was to weigh the event and actions of a person's life to decide where their soul would reside.

"Kurama, meet the three kings," he said to his prize. "King Raizen," he gestured to a tall, tanned male. His body was covered in what Kurama assumed were the markings of his people, and long white hair fell down to his ankles. "King Yomi." Karasu pointed to another male, shorter than the first with waist length black hair and horns. He appeared to be blind. "King Shura." He looked to be no more than a child. He had the same black hair as King Yomi with large ears and a single horn.

Karasu pulled on the chain. "Bow to them, my flower."

Not wanting to be hit again, Kurama bent at the waist, keeping his eyes trained on the ground.

"It is a pity, King Yomi," Karasu began, "that you cannot see my lovely rose here. I think you would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful god in any of the realms of the world."

"He is beautiful to be sure," Raizen cut in. "But is that not the god of Spring?"

"The very same."

"How did you come to possess him?" Shura asked.

"I can have whatever I want," Karasu replied. He walked to his seat, dragging Kurama with him. He started to sit down, but then thought better of it.

He led Kurama over to the wall beside the tunnel that led to Tartarus. With a wave of his hand, shackles popped out of the stone. Kurama's hands were unbound and the cold metal of the shackles gripped his wrists, then retracted further into the wall, dragging Kurama upwards. When his feet were nearly two feet off the ground, more shackles came to wrap around Kurama's ankles, holding his legs open.

"These proceedings get so dull for me," Karasu remarked casually. "So I brought something to keep myself occupied."

Raizen and Shura exchanged glances, while Yomi hid a horrified look.

"Please. Please don't," Kurama was whispering. "Please."

Karasu reached out and trailed his fingers through the sprinkling of scarlet pubic hair that surrounded Kurama's cock. "What was that, my flower?"

"Please no. Please," Kurama said louder.

"Oh, but you love it," Karasu countered. He grasped Kurama's penis in one hand and squeezed. "Don't you?"

"A-ah!" Kurama cried.

"_Don't_ you?" He squeezed harder.

"…yes."

"Yes _what?" _

"Yes…Master."

"So I thought." Karasu released his vice grip on Kurama and resorted to idly playing with the length of it. He looked at the three kings. "What are you waiting for?" he asked. "Let us begin the judging."

Raizen was ashen, but he stood and called the first name.

* * *

><p>Kurama tried to stop the noises from coming. He didn't know what to feel. He had been hanging on this wall for what felt like hours, with Karasu playing with his body. The kings continued to call names, to weigh souls, while it happened. The three kings kept their eyes averted from the scene before them, but the souls couldn't help but stare. They were dead, and this display was the last image of fleshly pleasure they would see before they went off to their eternity.<p>

It felt…bad? No, that wasn't true.

His body was certainly responding to Karasu's deft fingers on his penis, if the milky white fluid he was leaking was any indication. He had never been touched in this way before, and the combination of that and the eyes that were constantly on him was driving him insane.

He didn't like it. He _couldn't._

He cried out as Karasu teased yet another climax from him.

The dark god laughed at the look of shame and dismay that colored Kurama's face. "Give in to it," he murmured. "I can give you pleasure unlike any you will ever know. The same goes for pain, of course."

To illustrate this point, he unsheathed his dagger and began making fairly deep cuts in the redhead's chest.

When the young god's screams began to drown out the low voice of the soul they were currently speaking to, King Yomi got to his feet. "Lord Karasu," he snapped.

Violet eyes flicked to the king. "You have something to say, Yomi?" Karasu asked, his voice taking on a dangerous edge.

"I…only that we cannot proceed with the judgments of the day if we cannot hear the souls, my lord. The faster this is over, the faster you may return to your rooms with your…pet."

Karasu thought about that. "You are correct of course, King Yomi." He put the dagger away. "We must find a way to keep Kurama quiet if we are to proceed." He snapped his fingers, and the shackles released their captive. Kurama's hands went back behind his back as he dropped to the ground.

Karasu tugged him to his feet. "But what could insure that he stays silent?" he asked. "Hmm…oh of course. If something was in his mouth." He strode out of the room for a moment, leaving Kurama on the floor.

When Karasu returned, he was leading a male with pale blue hair and a silver collar into the room.

Kurama recognized him as Touya, an ice spirit who had disappeared. The two of them had spent time together when Kurama was younger, but then the spirit had vanished one day. Now he saw where he had vanished to.

Those icy blue eyes of his had once danced merrily; now they were dull and shadowed.

Touya was as naked as Kurama, and Karasu seemed to have one hand wrapped around the spirit's penis, stroking it. "Go lie down on the table," Karasu ordered him.

Touya obeyed, using Karasu's empty chair to climb up on the table. He lay down flat, his erection bobbing up and down.

Karasu grabbed Kurama, lifting him effortlessly and placing him on top of the spirit. "Now," he said. "We're going to play a game. King Yomi needs quiet to be able to judge souls. Since he cannot see anything, his hearing is impeccable. Any noise may disturb him. You are going to keep each other quiet. Whoever makes noise is going to get the lash. Understood?"

"Yes, Master," Touya replied quickly. He leaned up and wrapped his lips around Kurama's cock which was hanging in his face from the way Karasu had positioned them.

Kurama gasped. He saw the steel look in Karasu's eyes. "Yes, Master," he whispered. He didn't know what to do exactly, but he knew what Karasu wanted. So he lowered his head and cautiously sucked on the tip of Touya's erection. The ice spirit bucked his hips, driving more of the length into Kurama's mouth.

It was clear that Touya had done this before as he used his tongue to swirl around Kurama's cock. Not wanting to be whipped, Kurama swallowed more of Touya to avoid making any sound.

The judging continued around them. Luckily, the list was short that day, and it was nearing time to end, when Kurama felt Touya spasm inside his mouth. He tried to brace himself as the ice spirit erupted, spurting his fluids.

Unfortunately, Kurama reached his climax at the same time. The feeling of new pleasure combined with having a mouth full of semen was too much for Kurama. He lifted his head up and screamed, white fluid spilling out his mouth and down his chin.

He froze at the look of cruel excitement on Karasu's face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN 2:** I'm going to cut you off there, or this chapter would have gone on forever. Don't worry, we'll return to this moment in the next chapter. I finally settled on this updating every Wednesday for a nice treat on hump day. Speaking of humping, I'm probably going to have Karasu whoring Kurama out for some others in his castle, mostly because I think it's hot. Don't worry though. Karasu is going to get most of that ass. Thanks so much to everyone who read/ read and reviewed. I love you all.


	6. Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart

Kurama was glad that he was facing away from the crowd. He could hear their chatter, their whispered comments about him, and it made his penis (which was pressed firmly into the wood he was bound too) ache a little.

He didn't understand.

Karasu was doing unspeakable things to him, and his body was responding. He was hard, and he could feel his fluids sliding down the pale shaft of his cock.

After he had cried out in the Hall of Judgment, Karasu had dragged him by his leash to the busy entrance way of the castle. There was a large wooden structure in the shape of an X in the middle of the walkway and it was to that that Kurama was bound. His face was pressed against the smooth wood, and the redhead found himself wondering how many had been here before him.

Karasu strode back into the entrance way, weaving his way through the throngs of demi-gods and servants with a coiled black whip in his hand. He walked up and patted Kurama's naked ass. "I am going to whip you," he explained to the younger god. "After each strike you will thank me appropriately. Understood?"

Kurama didn't even have to be reminded. "Yes, Master."

"Good boy."

Karasu backed up a few pace and chuckled as the spectators who had been crowded around him gave him a wide berth. The lord of the Underworld was notorious for his skill with the whip and other such implements. No one wanted to be caught in the crossfire of his lash.

With an expert flick of his wrist, Karasu sent the whip into motion, making a neat slice down the center of Kurama's back.

"Thank you, Master," Kurama murmured.

"Louder, I think, flower," Karasu said. He lashed out again, this time harder.

Kurama yelped. "Thank you, Master."

And again, this time with a bit more force than he would have normally used.

"T-thank you, Master."

Ah. That was what he wanted to hear. Kurama was choking back tears when he gave his thanks, and he could hear him whimpering. Kurama pain noises were something he relished. It would have been better if the boy were stronger, more defiant. He enjoyed breaking the strong ones down until there were putty in his hands. He loved taking their will away from them and leaving them submissive and broken.

He continued his punishment, falling into a familiar rhythm.

_Whip_

"Thank you, Master."

_Whip_

"Thank you, Master."

_Whip_

"Thank you, Master."

_Whip_

"Thank you, Master."

For his part, Kurama was trying not to burst into tears. It hurt, oh Gaia, did it hurt, but he knew that that was what Karasu wanted. The dark god wanted him to cry in front of all these servants. He wanted him humiliated. Kurama wondered if he could deny him the satisfaction.

_WHIP!_

"AH! T..t-thank you, Master." Dammit. Apparently not. Kurama felt like that last lash had split him in two. He could feel blood running down his back and the whispers from the crowd got louder. A sob worked his way out of him as everything went black.

Karasu recoiled his whip and waved his hand, dropping Kurama to the stone below. "Someone get him cleaned up. I have more work to do." With that, he strode away.

* * *

><p>Shiori made herself comfortable in the God of the Sun's sitting room. She fidgeted impatiently until she heard the unmistakable sounds of the fire horses that drew the chariot across the sky.<p>

A few moments later, Kazuma himself entered. He was a very tall god with tanned skin, fiery hair, and blue eyes. He was muscular and strong, but had an easy smile. He turned it on Shiori when he saw her.

"Hey, Shiori," he said. "No one told me you were here."

"I kind of slipped in," the goddess replied. "I need your help, Kazuma."

"Of course," Kazuma said. "What is it?"

"My son…my Kurama is missing. Risho, a nymph, said the earth opened up and Kurama was sucked down into a void or something of the sort. I was hoping that you might have seen something."

Kazuma sighed. "I was wondering when you'd be by about that."

"Then you _did _see something?"

"Yeah…"

"Were you never going to say anything?" Shiori demanded.

"I dunno. I figured there had to be a reason…"

"A reason for what?" the goddess exclaimed. "For my son to be taken from me?"

"For your _brother_ to be the one doin' the taking."

That stopped Shiori up short. "My brother?" she whispered. "Which brother?"

"Karasu. He rode his black chariot up through the earth and grabbed Kurama. Red didn't fight 'im so I thought maybe…" Kazuma shrugged. "What gives a god the right to snatch up one of Koenma's sons?"

Shiori blinked. "What indeed? You're sure of what you saw?"

Kazuma nodded. "Unless there's another god who lives below ground with a black chariot."

"There isn't." Rage lit Shiori's eyes then. "Thank you, Kazuma. I am sorry to have kept you from your rest."

"It's no big deal. I hope you find Kurama." He walked Shiori out and watched as she made her way back to Mt. Olympus.

The goddess of the harvest slammed into the Grand Round. Koenma wasn't there, but she made herself comfortable on his throne.

Yusuke looked up from where he had been polishing his sword. "Everything alright, Shiori?" he asked his aunt.

"It most certainly is not," she responded.

"What's going on?"

"Kurama has been kidnapped."

"WHAT?" Yusuke demanded. It was no secret that the god of spring was his favorite sibling. He was on his feet in a second, brandishing his sword. "Who has him?"

"Karasu," Shiori muttered angrily.

"That _bastard_. I shoulda known he was going to try something with the way he was staring at Red the other day. It was like he wanted to eat him."

Shiori lowered her eyes. "Do you think he's hurt my baby?" she asked.

Yusuke growled. "If he has, I'll take it out of his hide, Shiori. I promise you that."

Just then, Koenma entered. He had that satisfied look on his face that meant he had been fraternizing with human women again. He took in his son and his sister sitting on his throne and sighed.

"And you all wonder why I spend so much time on Earth. There's always something happening up here. Shizuru's always angry, my children spend their time fighting with each other-"

"Father," Yusuke interrupted. "Did you know that Kurama was kidnapped?"

Koenma froze. "K-kidnapped you say? When?"

"Yesterday," Shiori answered. "Karasu did it."

Koenma turned away. "Just because our brother is vaguely evil doesn't mean he had anything to do with your son's disappearance."

The goddess narrowed her eyes. "Karasu is a sadistic freak," she spat. "Kurama is _your _son as well, and Karasu has him. Kazuma saw him take Kurama."

"He could have been mistaken…" Koenma tried.

"No he couldn't!" Shiori shouted.

Yusuke frowned. "You know your brother is capable of something like this," he said. "Why don't you believe he's at fault?"

Koenma heaved a defeated sigh. "What do you want me to do about this?" he asked.

"I want you to go get Kurama back. There's no telling what Karasu has done to him by now."

"I…I can't do that," Koenma said softly.

"You're the king of the gods," Yusuke reminded him. "You're the only one who can do it and make it stick."

"I can't go get Kurama," Koenma said, "Because I am the one who gave Karasu leave to take him."

"You…you did what?" Shiori whispered.

"Karasu wanted Kurama for his queen or something. He swore to never cause problems for the above world again if I gave him Kurama. How could I turn that down?"

"You traded your SON for the safety of the few humans that Karasu would torment?" The goddess was on her feet.

"Oh don't act like he was my only son. I have plenty of others to take his place, Shiori. And do you think that Karasu wouldn't have made it his personal goal to ruin humanity if I had said no to his request?"

Shiori reached up and slapped Koenma soundly and then strode away from the Round in fury.

Yusuke shook his head. "You're a damned idiot," he said to his father. "You might have a legion of other children, but Shiori doesn't. Kurama's all she has." With that, he left as well, going to see what he could do for his aunt.

* * *

><p>Kurama came to in a soft bed. He jolted up and looked around wildly, sure that Karasu was lying in wait.<p>

Calloused hands pressed him back into the bed, and Kurama saw Hiei standing over him. He shrank back a little. Yukina had said that Hiei was going to help him, but he was still wary of this gruff deity.

"Wh-" Kurama's voice came out rough and hoarse, so he swallowed and tried again. "What happened?"

"You blacked out up on the bastard's cross. He dropped you, so I picked you up and brought you here," Hiei answered.

Kurama looked around again. "Where are we?"

"Mine and Yukina's rooms."

"Oh. And where's Yukina?"

Hiei rolled his eyes and went to sit against the wall. "Sleeping. She does that."

"Oh." Kurama said again. He sat up in the bed and let his head thunk back against the headboard. "Thank you," he said after a while. "For picking me up."

"Yes, well, if I'd left you there, Yukina would've had my head when she woke up. Plus…"

"Yes?"

"I was impressed by your determination up there. You tried not to falter, not to let him see your pain. You should keep that up."

Kurama closed his eyes. "It's hard. He's…"

"He's a master at inflicting pain," Hiei finished. "Look. You're his captive, but you don't have to be weak. You don't have to let him win."

_I…I don't? _Kurama thought.

"You're a _god,_" Hiei continued. "What's more, you're a son of Koenma. Your father is one of the most arrogant fools I have ever met. Some of that has to be in you."

"I don't want to be like him," Kurama protested.

"You don't have to be. You just need some of his courage. Some of his self assurance. Karasu claims he likes when his playthings fight back, but the truth is that none of them have before. Be the first." With that, Hiei got to his feet and headed out the door, leaving Kurama alone.

"Could I…could I really stand up to him?" he asked himself. "Until my mother comes?" That sparked another thought. _Mother…you will come for me, won't you?_

* * *

><p>AN: Ugh. I am so not pleased with this chapter, but since I didn't update last week, I knew I had to give you guys something. The basic point of this is that Shiori knows what's up now, and Kurama's going to stop being so pathetic. Or he's going to try at any rate. It won't be as easy as Hiei seems to think.


End file.
